Women whiff men in sniff proficiency

Women smell better than men, and it's not just the perfume. As is the case for many gender differences, hormones appear to be behind the general advantage women have when it comes to their ability to detect odors.

In a series of trials, a total of 36 volunteers tried to detect either a cherry-almond or a lemon-orange smell generated by gradually decreasing concentrations of specific chemical compounds. In initial smell-threshold tests, all participants exhibited comparable abilities to detect the odors.

This article is available only to subscribing members. Join SSP today or Log in.